Mama Bear Is Going On The Hunt!

We were out shopping last night when Mini asked me for a new lunch box. She said she wanted “something with Disney princesses or just pink and purple”.

WAIT.. WHAT?!

It stopped me in my tracks. I mean, she’s not a total tomboy, but she LOVES her Cars lunch box. I asked her why she wanted a new one and she got real quiet. It was apparent she was not going to tell me just then so I didn’t push her.

This is the lunchbox in question:

I let it go for a few minutes then asked her again. She teared up immediately and said “The girls told me it was a boys lunch box and not pretty like their lunch boxes.” Apparently, every time she brings lunch, Regina and the rest of the Plastics feel the need to remind her that her lunch box isn’t pretty or girly and that only boys have it.

Boy was I pissed! This kind of crap starts this early? She is in a PreK/K building, but only K’s ride the bus and eat in the cafeteria so these are other K’s saying this. THAT is what really bothers me more than anything. I will never (and I don’t want Mini to ever) apologize for being who she is. My baby can be girly (loves her glitter tattoos, lip ‘gloss’ and her pink/purple room) but she loves her Cars and Monster Trucks too. Most people agree with me that she is a good combo of both. The others give me crap for putting her in tee-ball instead of a dance class, like ballet. They know where they can go, though. I hated ballet. When I was younger, I traded in my tutu after 2 lessons and asked to be signed up for baseball.

My heart just breaks for her and all I could do was hug her as she started to cry. I felt horrible. I told her I would get her a new lunch box if she wanted, but the choice was hers. As we browsed, we came to a rack with all sorts of backpacks and lunch bags. I stopped and looked at her. She thought a minute and said “I want to keep my Cars one.”

YES!! THAT’S MY BABY!!

I’m SO proud that she is standing up for herself, but I will be writing a note to the teacher. I don’t expect this to be a huge thing, but I feel like if this isn’t nipped in the bud now, it will get worse. Our district has a zero tolerance policy on bullying, so better this be taken care of when they are younger…